Advice On Beachfront Condo

[piet pompies]

I am looking to buy absolute beachfront seaview condo on Pattaya Beach. Have looked at Northshore and have been offered View Talay 6. I need advice, the price difference is 100,000sq/m on Northshore and 65,000 on VT6. Is the the VT construction group reputable? The building will be completed in 2008. How are the other residences they built?

Does anyone have an idea on Markland as a place or other buildings?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

[suiging]

I would be careful with things which have not been built. The recent nonsense over the company structure may or may not last long, however, it has crtainly stalled sales in just about every area. You never know how extended certain companies are who build houses as well as condos. ( VT ? )

[MisterFingers]

I would buy North Shore if I were you. It's in a prime location and it will get finished. The price difference is worth it, still a good investment. There's been a lot of money invested in building it, and slow as it's been, the light at the end of the tunnel is there.

Whatever you do, stay the hel_l away from Markland. The building is twenty years old, infested with tiny ants, and a stupid set of elevators where sometimes it takes over ten minutes to get to the floor you want.

[ThaiBob]

I am looking to buy absolute beachfront seaview condo on Pattaya Beach. Have looked at Northshore and have been offered View Talay 6. I need advice, the price difference is 100,000sq/m on Northshore and 65,000 on VT6. Is the the VT construction group reputable? The building will be completed in 2008. How are the other residences they built?

Does anyone have an idea on Markland as a place or other buildings?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Don't know much about the Northshore, seems quite nice looking at the pics. View Talay has a long track record in Pattaya. I'm buying in View Talay 7. Units at View Talay are not mcuh more than a shell and the buyer must do the build-out, but at North shore it's basically a no hassle turn-key unit. This explains some of the price differential. Doing your own build-out has it plusses and minuses. I would feel cramped trying to fit 2 bedrooms in a little over a 100 sqm (Northshore). My unit at View Talay will be a 1 bedroom and 140 sqm.

Checked out the Markland several years ago and even then it was starting to show it's age.

[naka]

View Talay Residence buildings (7 floors) are real nice, but the big buildings (20 odd floors)

are horrible. highrise slums.

Cannot understand this company's marketing strategy. They should not

have used the same brand name for all their projects, as they are so different.

Be very careful with the ownership thing, it's all up in the air at the moment.

Naka.

Edited June 21, 2006 by naka

[suiging]

Just been talking to the nice chap who is building my retirement pile. He, as have the majority of large scale builders, has bought ahead ( steel, concrete etc ) to try to maintain his margins with the world rise in commodity prices a real problem. Mixed build firms ( houses/condos) will have done the same, banking on the cash flow from sales to keep them moving. No sales equals piles of steel and empty lots as they service their bank positions.

If it's built, buy and enjoy. If it's on paper, personally, I would wait.

[piet pompies]

Thank you all. VT 6 has about 1200 units, on paper still. Markland is dead, thank you for that.I guess pay the price at Northshore. I want to be within walking distance from everything, supermarket, restaurants and bars. This makes it difficult from Wong Amat.

[Tufty]

Northshore looks nice but does anyone know how old is it, It was just a empty shell when I first came here 9 years ago and it looked old then. I dont know if its true but I have been told they took off the top 2 floors last year because or concrete cancer.

View Talay looks good but I would get one on the south side as there is a large piece of land being cleared on the north side maybe for another one wich would obscure your sea view

Incidently does anyone know anything about the building next to Northshore and why that has been left, I was told it used to be a hotel but nobody would work there because of ghosts

[MisterFingers]

Northshore looks nice but does anyone know how old is it, It was just a empty shell when I first came here 9 years ago and it looked old then. I dont know if its true but I have been told they took off the top 2 floors last year because or concrete cancer.

Shaved off the top two floors because of concrete cancer?

You just gave me my laugh of the day.

I assure you, the old rotting building you saw nine years ago was not Northshore.

[Digger]

Northshore looks nice but does anyone know how old is it, It was just a empty shell when I first came here 9 years ago and it looked old then. I dont know if its true but I have been told they took off the top 2 floors last year because or concrete cancer.

Shaved off the top two floors because of concrete cancer?

You just gave me my laugh of the day.

I assure you, the old rotting building you saw nine years ago was not Northshore.

Wrong I am afraid - Northshore was a half finished shell dating back to 1997 crash. Having said that, they (Raimon Land) are headed up by a British guy who I recall is a fully qualified surveyor - I would have no concerns about the quality of the teams they used for the engineering on the project.

Incidentally, Northshore was selling off plan at around 65000 baht meter - 100,000 is very high and its basically opportunistic investors.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Northshore looks nice but does anyone know how old is it, It was just a empty shell when I first came here 9 years ago and it looked old then. I dont know if its true but I have been told they took off the top 2 floors last year because or concrete cancer.

Shaved off the top two floors because of concrete cancer?

You just gave me my laugh of the day.

I assure you, the old rotting building you saw nine years ago was not Northshore.

Wrong I am afraid - Northshore was a half finished shell dating back to 1997 crash. Having said that, they (Raimon Land) are headed up by a British guy who I recall is a fully qualified surveyor - I would have no concerns about the quality of the teams they used for the engineering on the project.

Incidentally, Northshore was selling off plan at around 65000 baht meter - 100,000 is very high and its basically opportunistic investors.

Yes indeed the building stood not even half finished for many years. You could see the rust on the supporting girders getting thicker year by year.....then suddenly the new Northshore was hitting the headlines and the building was covered by tarpaulins.

I just hope that those metal girders have been properly treated and that the safety aspect of leaving this former shell of a building exposed to the elements so near to the sea for so many years has been well considered.

[MisterFingers]

Yes indeed the building stood not even half finished for many years. You could see the rust on the supporting girders getting thicker year by year.....then suddenly the new Northshore was hitting the headlines and the building was covered by tarpaulins.

I just hope that those metal girders have been properly treated and that the safety aspect of leaving this former shell of a building exposed to the elements so near to the sea for so many years has been well considered.

Hmm..new condos, old skeleton. That makes it a bigger question mark.

Here's another option. Keep your investments the hel_l out of Pattaya.

[suiging]

The tale of the poor lad who lost his wife, home and all his money in the original Northshore fiasco is a sad one. The current mob bought it in a " fire sale " from the bank and did very nicely thank you. The original builder ( well one of them ), was and is a fine craftsman who sets himself high standards, the steel will be fine. As for keeping out of Pattaya, heard it all before with the urban regeneration of B'ham, Manchester, Leeds etc. Folk who got in early and belived those inner city, crime ridden slums had a future did well. Same with our urban planning nightmare, crime on the up, slice of the LOS. Coming here is a risk, however, if you believe the country as a whole has a future, a resort with all the facilities close to the countries major port, airport, and highest growth industrial centers, in time may come good. Who knows ? The Pattaya bashers do not have access to a line to the future and niether do I, however, they all seem to think they do !! Oh to be so confident. Buy you condo and enjoy the ride of hopefully being in prime position to watch something worthwhile rise from the curent mess, and if it happens, enjoy watching the " bashers " ten years down the line becoming your neighbours paying considerably more than you did.

[wilko]

So long as you "beach front" isn't Jomtien complex as they're building 27 storeys in front of that one!

[yoshiwara]

Be careful about putting down a deposit on the View Talay building.

The developers are not restricting sales to falangs to 49% of the apartments and there is no guarantee that 'your' apartment will come with foreign ownership rights.

I asked this question in the sales office reception.

Suggest wait until building completion and buy a resale with all paperwork in order.

[suiging]

Be careful about putting down a deposit on the View Talay building.

The developers are not restricting sales to falangs to 49% of the apartments and there is no guarantee that 'your' apartment will come with foreign ownership rights.

I asked this question in the sales office reception.

Suggest wait until building completion and buy a resale with all paperwork in order.

One other thing you may wish to consider. If you wish to use your purchase as a vehicle for a 3 mil investement visa ( which is a good way to go if you check out the visa forum on this site ) 2nd hand units wont cut it.

[cejmcq]

I am looking to buy absolute beachfront seaview condo on Pattaya Beach. Have looked at Northshore and have been offered View Talay 6. I need advice, the price difference is 100,000sq/m on Northshore and 65,000 on VT6. Is the the VT construction group reputable? The building will be completed in 2008. How are the other residences they built?

Does anyone have an idea on Markland as a place or other buildings?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Northshore is still under construction but it is in the very final stages. There are currently several owners already occupying their units. Prices for the units have risen approx. 50-60% from what they were at pre-construction. The finished building should look beautiful. Very classy lobby area with a 1st class health club and pool for residents. I believe there are several units available for re-sale but they prices are quite high. Another project that is nearing completion that should have a great view of Pattaya Bay but is not directly on the beach is Regent Pratumnak on Buddha Hill. Supposed to be completed in Sept. or thereabouts. Prices are much more reasonable than Northshore and a great location. I live in View Talay II and am quite happy with it now but during the construction phase when everyone was working on their shells was 2 years of absolute hel_l. Good luck

[Rinrada]

Knew I had a couple of last year pics at the Markland...Boat & orthshore easy identifiable looks good...

[redwood13]

Incidently does anyone know anything about the building next to Northshore and why that has been left, I was told it used to be a hotel but nobody would work there because of ghosts

Timely query on your part

A reinforced concrete roof sheltered the Beach Road entry to this long closed hotel. Reinforced because there was a garden planted on top of it complete with half a dozen palm trees

Toward the end of last week Somchai and a dozen of his mates came in and using hand tools removed the palm trees. And after failing to make any progress in actually removing the concrete a jack hammer was brought in and finally a tractor shovel and the overhead is now history. Trucks are now hauling away the debris.

Thus far this operation looks like amateur hour

-redwood

[piet pompies]

Thanks all for the insightful information. Northshore seems to be the only game in that stretch. What are the chances of the builing in front being torn down and a highrise put up to block the view? Of course the agent tell me "not possible". Does anyone have any info on zoning?

[bangkapiboy]

Zoning!? That'll be the day.

[bmanly]

Be careful about putting down a deposit on the View Talay building.

The developers are not restricting sales to falangs to 49% of the apartments and there is no guarantee that 'your' apartment will come with foreign ownership rights.

I asked this question in the sales office reception.

Suggest wait until building completion and buy a resale with all paperwork in order.

This is true, a friend of mine put down a deposit on one yesterday and then went on to tell me that they were signing up as many buyers as they could, no 49% restriction. He was told that when the time comes he will have to come immediately to pay the balance in order to secure farang ownership in his name and in 49% group. He asked what if he he missed out and was out of 49% group and was told he would have to make arrangements to form a company. I strongly advised him to pull out of that situation, too risky as he has no need or want to form a company.

Edited August 12, 2006 by bmanly

[bmanly]

Thanks all for the insightful information. Northshore seems to be the only game in that stretch. What are the chances of the builing in front being torn down and a highrise put up to block the view? Of course the agent tell me "not possible". Does anyone have any info on zoning?

I am not an engineer of any kind but I must inform you that I have seen the effects of concrete cancer in serveral buildings on the east coast of Australia. Northshore was an abandonded project for about 7 years. It was just a multi level shell and an eyesore in Pattaya for so long. Being exposed to the elements for so many years I would guess that it must have had some effects on the structure. Personally I would not buy in that building because of that. If I was you I would rent for 2 years and wait for the other projects to be finished and then buy. Have a look at the new condos (finished last year) behind PBC in soi 13, they might interest you and it is in a handy position too.

By the way, as someone has mentioned, there is a high rise block of Condos in Jomtien too and the buyers there were told that their view was never to be built out, guess what? a 27 story monster is going to be built right in front of it.

I'm not saying don't buy, I'm just saying wait until the projects are finished and you can clearly see what you are getting. Then buy it in your name without having to set up a company structure.

[Artisan]

So long as you "beach front" isn't Jomtien complex as they're building 27 storeys in front of that one!

I thought that the Owners/Residents Committee of Jomtien Complex Condotel had taken this issue to court and had won an injunction against the developers of this new building.

Maybe the information that was given to me is wrong. Has this injunction been withdrawn now?

[bmanly]

So long as you "beach front" isn't Jomtien complex as they're building 27 storeys in front of that one!

I thought that the Owners/Residents Committee of Jomtien Complex Condotel had taken this issue to court and had won an injunction against the developers of this new building.

Maybe the information that was given to me is wrong. Has this injunction been withdrawn now?

My mate paid a deposit yesterday on a unit in that building, if there is an injunction nobody seems to be sticking to it. Several units have been sold off the plan for that complex.

[Artisan]

My mate paid a deposit yesterday on a unit in that building, if there is an injunction nobody seems to be sticking to it. Several units have been sold off the plan for that complex.

OK. Maybe the owners of condos in Jomtien Complex just don't want to accept it. Ignore it and it might go away!! Thanks for putting me straight.

But, like "The Sails" deposits can be paid and then returned. Do you think that the developers could be pressing on regardless during an appeal, if any? Pre-selling of units off a plan and deposit taking is very different to breaking ground and pile-driving.

[bmanly]

My mate paid a deposit yesterday on a unit in that building, if there is an injunction nobody seems to be sticking to it. Several units have been sold off the plan for that complex.

OK. Maybe the owners of condos in Jomtien Complex just don't want to accept it. Ignore it and it might go away!! Thanks for putting me straight.

But, like "The Sails" deposits can be paid and then returned. Do you think that the developers could be pressing on regardless during an appeal, if any? Pre-selling of units off a plan and deposit taking is very different to breaking ground and pile-driving.

You know when I read your post I tried to call him straight away, it's another "if" and I don't want him to get caught out. Can you tell me where you heard of this injunction? He was thinking of buying in VT5 which is almost complete but decided against it because VT7 would have blocked his views. You are right, there has not been a single pile driven yet. Do you know he was struggling to find any singleroom 48 SQ condos left, most had deposits taken already? He put down the money for one on level 24.

[ThaiBob]

My mate paid a deposit yesterday on a unit in that building, if there is an injunction nobody seems to be sticking to it. Several units have been sold off the plan for that complex.

OK. Maybe the owners of condos in Jomtien Complex just don't want to accept it. Ignore it and it might go away!! Thanks for putting me straight.

But, like "The Sails" deposits can be paid and then returned. Do you think that the developers could be pressing on regardless during an appeal, if any? Pre-selling of units off a plan and deposit taking is very different to breaking ground and pile-driving.

You know when I read your post I tried to call him straight away, it's another "if" and I don't want him to get caught out. Can you tell me where you heard of this injunction? He was thinking of buying in VT5 which is almost complete but decided against it because VT7 would have blocked his views. You are right, there has not been a single pile driven yet. Do you know he was struggling to find any singleroom 48 SQ condos left, most had deposits taken already? He put down the money for one on level 24.

The litigation hurdle from the Jom Tien Complex is old news. The View Talay owner is reportedly the richest man in Pattaya and has friends in high places. The injunction was probably filed along with Environmental Impact report. Enough said. I've been told that VT7 start date would be October by realtors and the first of the year by View Talay. With crews working full steam ahead on VT5 (second building) and VT6 I would think the latter is more likely. There are many units available from realtors but at a premium price.

[yoshiwara]

You would think that Northshore was a sycamore spreading its seeds with all the high-rise look-alikes now going up at the north end of the Beach Road.

[jbaldwin]

If you are thinking about VT, a would strongly recommenation that the walk around VT1 to give an indication of what your purchase is likely to look like in 10 years time. I used to live there as a renter. There is no way I would buy a unit there